When the European Union started to make its plans for the forced implementation of electric vehicles by 2035, Ferrari was one of the only companies that did not scramble to change all their plans in order to accommodate the mandate. Perhaps because they did not need to. After all the plan is to reduce emissions and the manufacturers that do not abide will have to pay a fine, but Ferrari does not sell enough cars per year for this to be a concern, and, at the price that they do sell them, a bit extra to grease the wheels does not hurt as much.
But the fact that they do not have to pivot to electric vehicles does not mean that they are not getting with the times, after all this is fun new technology that, when companies have been free to embrace and not pressed for time, they have managed to squeeze every drop of fun filled horse power. This is where Ferrari’s latest creation comes into play, their new 296 Speciale, which packs 868 horsepower and revs up to 8,500 RPM, which is quite impressive by every standard imaginable.
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While Ferrari is a car manufacturer, at its core it is really a racing company, and although most of the cars that they sell will never be used to their full potential, the fact that they could reach such speeds is tantalizing for their clients. They are known for their supercars, which are synonymous with speed, style, horsepower and of course, the color red, but this does mean that there is a push to always go faster, be more efficient and get as much as possible out of their engines, which is why evolving them and adding a bit of electric technology is a good idea.
This new hybrid model is the next step in evolving the company without losing the essence of what makes a Ferrari. It is lighter, sharper, and built to thrill, thanks to titanium and carbon fiber construction and most importantly delivers an extra 50 HP over its predecessor. The 296 Speciale is unlike other limited releases by Ferrari, which is likely to mean that at least the first round of manufactured cars will not even hit the streets and will get snapped up by loyal customers before we can even spec it out.
What makes it so special is that, unlike others, this is not just a track car, it is completely road legal and can be driven all over the world without having to modify it or take it out on the back of a trailer truck. But the model upgrade comes at a price, unsurprising for Ferrari, this 296 Speciale will run you around half a million dollars, which keeps it firmly out of reach for all but the most dedicated (and wealthy) enthusiasts. And while that is not the base model, there are plenty of addons that will raise the price even more, so if you would like to purchase one, start saving now before the second run of the car is even more expensive.
However, the 296 Speciale is not the only new car that Ferrari is releasing this year. Despite what we have stated about the company not caring about electric vehicles, they have been working on them and they have announced a new full electric model release, the Eletricca, which will be released later this year. To accommodate production of this new model and any others that they may release in the future, they have built a whole new facility in Maranello focused entirely on electric vehicles and hybrids, which we are sure that they will get a lot of use from as they make even more progress in their electric vehicle lineups.